110k views
0 votes
How is the scientific meaning of acceleration different from how we use the term acceleration in everyday life?

User Masako
by
8.8k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Most people think that "acceleration" means "speeding up".
(Maybe you use the word that way. I don't.)
I think this comes from the gas pedal in the car being called
the "accelerator".

The real meaning of "acceleration" is: any change in motion ...
speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction even if speed
doesn't change.

User Wkarl
by
7.9k points